'Verse - Nature - Flora - Ahti

The Ahti trees are massive aquatic type trees that soar high up in the skies. They are only found on the waters of Ahti Seas.

In the language of Akoi'lli, Ahti means "World Tree".

Ahti starts its life from a buoyant seed the size of a troll's head. It floats by the current of the sea as it grows, using the salt water and sunlight for its growth. When the roots extend far enough underneath the ocean, the seed would sink from the weight and prompt the roots to grow faster until it anchors itself on the oceanic floor. When it is anchored, the seed would rise up until it is exposed again on the surface of the sea. From there, rampant growth of vertical main trunklines and thick horizontal vines would radiate outward. The main trunk line of the Ahti would reach up to 1km high, provided the roots below the surface of the water is deep enough and anchored across a wide swath of subsurface continental shelf. The horizontal growth would radiate up to 600m in radius, interlocking, and weaving around itself until it acts as a stabilizer for the tree itself. The horizontal roots also act like a saltwater filtration system with isolated bodies of water found inside the radius of these roots. The Akoi'lli gather these freshwaters for sustenance. Their bodies are able to filter out salt water naturally but usually prefer the freshwater source given to them by the Ahti.

The Akoi'lli population lives near the surface around the midpoint of Ahti Tree. Each tree usually provides a tight-knit group of extended family members, much akin to a clan. They often trade with others from different Ahti trees.

Behind the Scenes:
Ahti trees are inspired by the cross between Mangroves and Redwoods. Akoi'lli's habitation of these trees was in part inspired by Avatar's Hometrees in James Cameron's Avatar.